Airship.



W. J. WELLS & D. LEWIS.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JAMES WELLS AND. DANIEL LEWIS, 0F CANANEA, MEXICO, ASSIGNOB8, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

OF ONE-SIXTH TO. DANIEL LEWIS, ONE-THIRD T0 WILLIAM JAIME-3 WELIJB, ONE-THIRD TO ROBEM J OHN'WELLS, AND ONE-SIXTH E0 JAC B summers.

ttpeoifleatlon of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

applmatlonfiled April. 9, 1912. Serial No. 689,6M.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. Warns and DANmL Lewis, citizens of the United States, residing at Cananea, in the State of Sonora, Mexico, have invented certain new and usefiul Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dirigible balloons and has especial reference to dirigible balloons of the Zeppelin type constructed with an oblong, cylindrical gas bag or gas container, and an oblong passenger car, and motive power suspended beneath said gas be".

The invention has for its object to provide an improved dirigible balloon of this character, so constructed and arranged as to add to the propelling power of the air ship and to increase its speed.

The invention further has for its object to provide an improved dirigible balloon of this kind, with means for counteracting the tendency of the balloon to roll.

The invention further has for its object to maintain the equilibrium of the car of the balloon and also regulate the rolling movement of the balloon.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a dirigible air ship constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an end view in cross section on the line XX oi. Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end View in cross section on the line YY of Fig. 1 but showing a gas container at one stage of its rolling motion. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rear end of the air ship.

in carrying out the invention the air ship is constructed with a longitudinal tube 1 of suitable width and with the flaring open ends 2 and 3. The tube 1 extends from end to end of the gas bag, or gas container 4 structed' in any suit-able manner. The car is suspended from the gas container in any suitable manner, and, as here shown, in order to maintain its equilibrium, is suspended by means of wires 9, connected at their lower ends to the car 8, and at their upper ends to the ball bearings 10, movable in an arcuate shaped track 11 mounted on a ring 5. By this means as the gas c0ntainer rolls, the equilibrium of the car is maintained. Located at the rear end of the car is an engine room 12, and at the front end an engine room 13. The engine rooms 12 and 13 are suspended from the gas container by Wires 14:, or other suitable form of hangers, connected to an arcuate shaped bar 15 secured to a ring 5.

Located at the rear of the flaring mouth 2, in the tube 1, is a propeller 16, having its shaft 17 mounted in a bracket 18 secured to the tube 1; and located at the rear end of the flaring mouth 3 is a propeller l9 having its shaft 20 mounted in a bracket 21 secured to the tube 1. Each of the propellers 16 and 19 is driven by an endless belt 22 connected with a pulley on the pro peller shaft and with a pulley on the shaft of an electric motor, 23, or other suitable form. of engine in the engine rooms 12 and 13. Each of the belts 22 extends through a casing 22 having its ends mounted on the tube 1, and a support on the outer surface of the gas container through which the casing 22 extends.

By means of the arrangement of the propellers 16 and 19 in the tube 1 at the rear of the flaring mouths 2 and 3 respectively, increased speed is given to the propellers 16 and 19 by the air rushing through the tube 1, caused by the flight of the air ship.

In order to counteract the tendency of the gas bag to roll, a number of ailerons or balancing planes 24 are mounted on each side of the gas container from end to end thereof. The planes 24 are pivotally mounted on projections 25 secured to th rings 5 between the top and bottom of the gas container, and braced by wire stays 26. The ailerons are connected by means of Wires 27 with the car 8. By this means as the gas container rolls, the ailerons assume on one side an elevating position and on the other a lowering position, which will have a tendency to right the gas container.

Secured to and extending 'fromth'e rear ings for the shaft or axis 32 of the horizontal elevating and lowering lane 33. A rudder 34 is hinged to a In der. post 35 mounted on the end of the tube; 1, and braced by stay wires 36.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that an improved air shi is provided, by means of which the of the propellers is accelerated by the rush of air through a tube; that therollin of the gas bag or container is retarded, and the equilibrium of the car is maintained; and a better steering control of the air ship obtained.

Having described the invention, we claim:

1. In an air ship, a cylindrical casing, a shaft mounted centrally and longitudinally therein and provided with propellers, said casing rovided interiorly thereof with a belt casln radially thereof, an engine room suspende from said casing and rigidly attached thereto, a motor mounted in said engine room,flexible connection extending through said as; Basket as and v said propeller shaft and a car suspended from said casing;'andfiladapted 'to laterally. by avity In an 'pit s n a shaft mounted centrally and longitudinally 3 thereof and provided with propellers, said cylindrical casing provided with be'ltcasrespective ends of said' cylin ical' casing,

an engine room adjacent to the outer ex tremity of each belt casing, suspended from said cylindrical casingan rigidly attached thereto, a motor mounted in each of said engine room's, flexible connection extending through said belt casings between said engines and said pro ller shaft and a car suspended from sai cylindrical casing beings "radially thereof and disosed at the 

